NAVCA and environmental sustainability

NAVCA recognises that all our activities have environmental impacts. Our organisation has a responsibility to protect our environment and our actions can make a difference. NAVCA trustees and staff are encouraged to consider the effects of everything we do on the national and global environment.

NAVCA has signed the Third Sector Declaration on Climate Change (now known as JustAct), and encourages all our members to do the same.

Policies for a greener NAVCA

• NAVCA has a Sustainable Development Policy that suggests practical ways to reduce our environmental impact.
• NAVCA has a Sustainable Development Action Plan and progress is regularly reviewed by a staff group. Our members are actively encouraged to develop their own action plans.
• We have an Ethical Business Development Policy and Sustainable Purchasing policy. We are developing our own ethical purchasing policy.

Greening NAVCA

• NAVCA has signed up to 1010, the global campaign to cut carbon emissions.
• Staff are shown ways to help make NAVCA more environmentally sustainable in their induction.
• Our social networking site navcaboodle has a green issues group to encourage staff and NAVCA members to share information/tips.
• Our energy comes from a green electricity supplier.
• We have regular spot checks to ensure lights/computers/printers/staff are switched off at night and when not needed. Reminders are sent to staff.
• Guidance on efficient use of heating/air conditioning have been circulated to staff.
• NAVCA recycles paper, card, publications, toner cartridges, light bulbs, cans, glass, plastic, batteries and events.
• Our policy is to print double-sided and draft to save paper and toner waste.
• We are pushing our landlord for better recycling facilities for the whole building.
• Stationery and office equipment is ordered from the 'green' section of our supplier's catalogue wherever possible.
• Consideration is given to the energy rating of all new appliances purchased.
• NAVCA uses eco-friendly cleaning materials.
• We have replaced our water coolers with filter jugs.
• We only buy fair trade tea and coffee.
• We reuse teabags.
• Old computers and other electrical equipment which are still useable are offered to community groups/local charities. Those which no longer work get recycled.
• Occasional staff collections of old spectacles (for visionaid). Books, old mobile phones/chargers, publications are also collected for local charity shops.
• We encourage visitors to come by public transport - information on routes is available on our website.
• Information on cycling routes is also published on our website.
• Staff can work flexitime to make getting to work by public transport easier.
• We are trialling use of teleconferencing and videoconferencing for meetings.
• Any outside catering is from a local company which uses locally-sourced food and has a generally ethical approach. Reusable trays and glasses are used.
• Staff activiites have included a visit to the South Yorkshire Energy Centre and 'green afternoons' - computers are switched off to save energy and time is spent recycling paper etc. Information on local environmental initiatives eg 'Sheffield Environment Weeks' are circulated to staff.
• Our green successes are celebrated at staff meetings and on our noticeboard.

Making NAVCA publicatiosn greener

• There is a section on sustainability in each issue of our email bulletin LINX. Regular articles appear in our print newsletter, 'Circulation'.
• 'Circulation' is printed on paper that is 80% recycled, FSC accredited from sustainable sources, and is 100% chlorine free. Our printer uses environmentally friendly, vegetable-based ink with no added solvents.
• Our other publications are printed on paper that is either and/or FSC certified, and chlorine free.

Greener events

• Event brochures are printed on paper that is either and/or FSC certified, and chlorine free.
• NAVCA use re-usable bags for delegate packs.
• We always try to choose venues with good public transport links. If people have to come by car we actively encourage car sharing, via our social networking site navcaboodle.
• When booking caterers, consideration is given to the company's ethical/green approach, and use of locally-sourced food. For large meetings/conferences we think carefully about under-ordering food to reduce waste.